FYI -- Just contributing to the Cabela's email campaign... will be interesting to see what kind of response i get...
Jennifer -----Original Message----- From: Jennifer Burgess [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2003 2:49 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Sporting Dog Seminars Dear Cabela's Executive Management: I'm writing to express my concern and disappointment in Cabela's for your irresponsible decision to allow breeders to make puppies available for sale at your recent Sporting Dog Seminars. I have been a Cabela's customer for many years and I am also the responsible and proud owner of both a sporting dog, a 5 year old Labrador Retriever, and a 1 year old Bernese Mountain Dog. Both of these dogs were purchased through reputable breeders (far outside my area) after considerable research and review by me. Please note: I also had to be "screened" by these breeders to make sure I could provide an appropriate and responsible home and environment for these dogs. I'm not sure I can ever bring myself to patronize Cabela's again if you are going to condone impulse puppy buying and allow irresponsible breeders access to your facilities to "peddle their puppies." This type of activity could potentially have disastrous long-term results. Responsible breeders (those with the future and the best interests of the breed in mind) are always willing to discuss the breed, pros and cons, responsibilities of ownership, etc., in an appropriate forum or one-on-one with potential dog owners. With proper research and follow through by both the potential puppy buyer and the breeder (the screening and qualifying should go both ways!) hopefully breeding problems and unhappy owners -- and ultimately abandoned or abused dogs -- can all be avoided. But never should there be an open "marketplace" allowing disreputable breeders to take advantage of impulse buyers who are not qualified. No reponsible breeder would participate in this type of activity and no truly responsible trainer would condone it either. Anyone involved in this has to be a puppy mill or a backyard breeder interested strictly in money and not the long-term viability of the breed. I read this statement on your web site: "Cabela's is committed to providing quality products, value, service, and guaranteed customer satisfaction to outdoorsmen and women throughout the world. With over 40 years of service to our customers, our goals remain the same: a good deal, a fair shake, and better service with quality products at competitive prices. That's what Cabela's is about - today, yesterday, and for the future." I implore you to take your own words to heart and be responsible about the future of these wonderful sporting dogs... let's work together to make sure they get "a good deal, a fair shake" and that we have in mind their best interests for "today, yesterday, and for the future." Please support responsible breeding and dog ownership and through your words and your deeds -- please, no more breeder displays and puppy sales -- help us fight the battle against irresponsible breeding and sales practices. I will reconsider my decision to boycott Cabela's products once I'm sure your management understands the magnitude of this problem and does something about it! Thank you for your prompt attention. I look forward to your response and hope I don't get the same form letter I've gotten copied on by countless other responsible dog owners like me who are asking you to reconsider your position on this subject. Regards, Jennifer Burgess Jennifer Burgess Director of Marketing Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. 3734 Elvis Presley Blvd. Memphis, TN 38116 901-332-3322 (office) 901-344-3119 (fax) http://www.elvis.com
